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Government Chemist

LGC hosts the unique function of the ‘Government Chemist’, providing expert opinion, based on independent measurement to help avoid or resolve disputes pertaining predominantly to food and agriculture, and advice to Government, devolved administrations and the wider community dependent on analytical science.

Public protection is at the heart of the Government Chemist function, which as a national safeguard, is designed to help ensure that decisions and outcomes are reached fairly and cost-effectively. The Government Chemist is named as referee analyst and authorised analyst under various statutes.

The Government Chemist Programme supports a wide range of activities designed to underpin the Statutory and Advisory functions of the Government Chemist. These include:

Horizon scanning of regulatory and technological developments that impact on the provision of referee analysis

Development of analytical capability to address potential future disputes in emerging areas of concern

Developing technology that improves the cost-effectiveness of regulatory compliance and enforcement

Knowledge transfer activities to increase awareness of and improve uptake and benefit derived from knowledge gained under the function

Responding to a wide range of appropriate Government consultations

The current Government Chemist is Dr. Julian Braybrook, who was appointed in June 2018